Average deposits for buy to let investors at the end of last year were £49,146, according to research for leading lender BM Solutions.

But the amount varied widely between investors in London and those outside the capital.

In London, the average deposit was £119,750, while in the North; the amount was only £27,710.

BM Solutions also revealed buy to let purchases were 28% up year-on-year at 46,430 for the second half of 2013, but still running at less than half of the 96,640 sales recorded at the market peak in 2006.

The study also showed average gross rental yields dipped to 5.5% in the second half of 2013 from 5.6% in the same period of the previous year.

Mortgage Trust has released new fixed rate and tracker buy-to-let mortgages at 80% loan-to-value.

The range includes a two-year fixed rate mortgage with a 1.75% fee at an initial rate of 4.10%.

Another two-year fix starts from 4.95% and comes without a fee.

The two-year trackers start at 3.70% with a fee of 2% or 4.70% without a fee.

John Heron, managing director of Mortgages, said: “We are confident that high credit standards can be maintained at these levels and our extensive data on many years of buy-to-let lending supports this.

“A primary requirement of landlords is to generate an optimal return...

on capital.

“Subject to a strong affordability profile these products will assist landlords in doing just that.”
These are limited quota products and all benefit from a free valuation.

Saffron for Intermediaries has lifted minimum income requirements for buy to let borrowers.

Previously, landlords needed to show a £25,000 annual gross income.

Now, the building society wants one mortgage applicant to show they receive earned or pension income as a UK taxpayer.

The maximum loan-to-value has also risen to 80% for fixed rate buy to let mortgage applications.